Preds Forward Ryan Johansen Writes on Cheering on the Team During the Final, Raising a Banner Next Week

NASHVILLE – I stared at the ceiling as I lay in my hospital bed.

Was this really happening to me? Was it all over just like that?

Only minutes before, I was surrounded by screaming fans as my teammates and I tried to tie Game 4 of the Western Conference Final, and now I was surrounded by medical equipment in the hospital with a freakish thigh injury. Even just moments after it happened, I knew coming back to play at any point in the playoffs was probably not going to happen. I was done for the year.